No, the iPhone 17 didn’t get a radical makeover on the back or shed some overall thickness; it looks very similar to the iPhone 16, with a few new colors, but don’t let the similarities fool you.
Apple’s entry-level iPhones have been slowly marching toward delivering more value and getting closer and closer to the Pro iPhones. And maybe it’s that Apple went full throttle with the Pros or that the entirely new iPhone Air is a very thin Pro, but the iPhone 17 makes three key upgrades that might have you questioning if you need to go Pro.
If that sounds familiar, see my iPhone 16 review from last year.
While it’s keeping the same overall dimensions as the iPhone 16, the screen is larger here. It’s jumping from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches on the iPhone 17, courtesy of slimmer bezels, and it’s a Super Retina XDR OLED screen that’s now always on. And that means that even when it’s locked, you can glance at it to see the time, widgets, and whatever is actively playing.
Even during my brief demo after the “Awe dropping” event came to a close, when I ventured to the hands-on area, the always-on nature was a big improvement and a better fit for the MSRP price here. It also felt a bit more expansive, even with a 0.2-inch increase, though it’s not a major stretch.
I will say that the display looked excellent with punchy, vibrant colors and sharp, inky blacks for text, and it was really nice to use even in a brightly lit demo space. I didn’t get the chance to try it outdoors, though.
Alongside the always-on upgrade, Apple is finally rolling out its ProMotion functionality to the entry-level iPhone, and this is a significant one that feels immediately noticeable, especially in some AAA game demos. Essentially, the iPhone 17 sports a variable 120Hz refresh rate that will make everything – especially scrolling, streaming, or gaming – feel buttery smooth.
This is a big upgrade and finally levels the playing field with similarly priced Android phones that have been offered this year, and I really look forward to testing this out on the iPhone 17.
The last main change on the front is the new Center Stage camera. The selfie camera is getting a major upgrade across the iPhone 17 family – including the Air and Pros – as it’s jumping to an 18-megapixel camera with a larger, square sensor. The upgrade here is that it can fit more in a shot, and with just one lens, it can shoot a multitude of selfie styles, allowing you to play less Tetris trying to fit people into a shot and capture the moment easily.
I tried this out on the show floor at the Apple event, and it worked seamlessly. To its credit, Apple has integrated this feature simply into the camera app, allowing you to cycle through the different selfie sizes and orientations available. It can even swap from vertical to horizontal without you rotating your phone.
The iPhone 17 is still sticking with two primary cameras: a 48-megapixel Fusion main camera (wide) and a new 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The latter should be a pretty major upgrade in terms of clarity for photos, as it’s a jump from 12 megapixels and will utilize some pixel-binning tech like the main. I didn’t really get to put this through its paces in the demo space, but I look forward to trying it out soon. As a reminder, you’ll be able to shoot 0.5x, 1x (at varying focal lengths), and 2x as a crop in a shot. You’ll also get the new Camera interface as part of iOS 26, and there is a new “Dual Capture” option that lets you film with the selfie and main cameras at once in the same file. This might prove fun, especially for family moments or when at a concert or sports game.
Oh, and if you’re counting, the iPhone 17 does have more cameras than the single-lensed iPhone Air.
Last but not least, the iPhone 17 felt pretty darn responsive in my brief time, and I suspect performance will not be an issue here for the most common tasks, and even more power-hungry ones. It’s not a Pro chip, but the iPhone 17 does get Apple’s new A19 chip with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, as well as a dedicated Neural Engine. When the new Siri arrives and uses the current Apple Intelligence features, the chip is likely more than capable.
Apple’s also doubled the starting storage from 128GB to 256GB without raising the price. The Cupertino-based tech giant also did this with the entry-level iPad and iPad Air with M3, and it’s an excellent trend they should continue.
Out of the new colors, I think I’m most preferential to the new Sage green option or the Lavender purple, though these lack some of the fun of the iPhone 16 lineup – remember the two shades of blue? It is also available in mist blue, as well as white or black.
Overall, though, it’s going to be hard not to consider the iPhone 17, especially if you don’t need a telephoto lens or a super slim design. It boasts an excellent, vivid display that’s now ProMotion and always-on, a better ultra-wide camera, more storage, a new chip, and retains a working design while upgrading the durability.
It’s not a radical redesign, but that’s a lot to like in my book so far. But let me know what you think in the comments below.
Specs comparison
Below, you’ll find a beat-by-beat comparison of the key specs offered by the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | iPhone 17 | iPhone 17 Air | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weight: | 177g | 165g | 206g | 233g |
Display: | 6.3-inch OLED | 6.5-inch OLED | 6.3-inch OLED | 6.9-inch OLED |
Resolution: | 2622 x 1206 | 2736 x 1260 | 2622 x 1206 | 2868 x 1320 |
Refresh rate: | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
Peak brightness: | 3,000 nits | 3,000 nits | 3,000 nits | 3,000 nits |
Chipset: | A19 | A19 Pro | A19 Pro | A19 Pro |
Rear cameras: | 48MP wide (26mm, ƒ/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2) | 48MP wide (26mm, ƒ/1.6) | 48MP wide (24mm, ƒ/1.78), 48MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (8x optical zoom) | 48MP wide (24mm, ƒ/1.78), 48MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (8x optical zoom) |
Front camera: | 18MP (ƒ/1.9) | 18MP (ƒ/1.9) | 18MP (ƒ/1.9) | 18MP (ƒ/1.9) |
Storage: | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
Colors: | Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue | Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue | Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue |
Price & availability
- Starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399
- Pre-orders open on September 12, shipping from September 19
The iPhone 17 was announced at Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ event on September 9. iPhone 17 pre-orders will begin on September 12, and the new phone will start shipping on September 19.
The iPhone 17 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 for the model with 256GB of storage, with that price rising to $999 / £999 / AU$1,799 for 512GB of storage.
You can see full iPhone 17 pricing below.
Storage | US price | UK price | AU price |
|---|---|---|---|
256GB | $799 | £799 | AU$1,399 |
512GB | $999 | £999 | AU$1,799 |